I am participating in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge put forth by Amy Johnson Crow of the blog No Story Too Small. If you aren't familiar with the challenge be sure to check out her blog.

Yes, there's another Samuel Whitney in my family tree. Well actually he was a Samuel David Whitney and he was the brother of my maternal great grandmother, Carrie Whitney Harrison. Named after his father, he was born November 3, 1885 to his namesake and Sarah Jane Harris Whitney in New Bern, NC. He grew up alongside my great grandmother at 10 Brown's Alley in the city.I know that he was often referred to as David. This was probably to differentiate himself from his father since they resided under the same roof. The family oral history is that David's father Samuel Whitney worked as a drayman and delivered fish into the city of New Bern. This makes me think that this newspaper article I came across may be in fact be about my Samuel David Whitney.

The Daily Journal, May 3, 1904, Page 4

I don't have a picture of him but I do know from his World War I draft registration card that he was of medium height and build, with brown eyes and black hair. I have one picture of my great grandmother Carrie Whitney Harrison. I wonder if he resembled her in any way.

He was single and his occupation was listed as a laborer in the "Guano" industry. This make me think he was probably working in a fertilizer plant. It looks like he was still working in the same industry in 1918.

As far as I've been able to tell no children arose from this marriage. Sadly, Virginia Whitney died on October 21, 1930 from vascular heart disease.

Samuel married Madie Stancil at some point after his first wife's death. Here they are listed in the 1937 Baldwin's New Bern North Carolina City Directory.

Image courtesy of Ancestry.com

1937 Baldwin's New Bern North Carolina City Directory.

Image courtesy of Google Maps.

During that year, he was worked as a janitor at the Zeno Lodge No. 23 IBPOE in New Bern. The building still stands at 921 Main St. On August 1, 1939, my great grandmother and Samuel David's younger sister, Carrie Whitney Harrison died. While she was alive, she lived right next door to her older brother. His sister Amey Whitney Brown died in 1913, his father and mother died in 1916 and 1937 respectively. I think with my great grandmother's death in 1939, the losses in his life started to take their toll on him.By 1940, David Whitney had switched occupations and was working as a carpenter in house construction. His wife Madie was working as a housekeeper. Things seemed to be fine until tragedy struck again. Madie Whitney died on December 3, 1945 from acute Myocarditis.Samuel David Whitney died from cirrhosis of the liver on March 12, 1957. He's buried at Greenwood Cemetery in New Bern, NC.

A Quote By Rumi

A Quote By Philip Carr-Gomm

When we know about our ancestors, when we sense them as living and as supporting us, then we feel connected to the genetic life-stream, and we draw strength and nourishment from this.

A Quote By Laurence Overmire

Over the course of the millennia, all these ancestors in your tree, generation upon generation, have come down to this moment in time to give birth to you. There has never been, nor will ever be another like you. You have been given a tremendous responsibility. You carry the hopes and dreams of all those who have gone before. Hopes and dreams for a better world. What will you do with your time on this Earth? How will you contribute to the ongoing story of humankind?